In general, a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal of an over-the-counter sales type, which a store clerk operates to register sales data, includes a scanner for barcode reading. The store clerk as an operator of the terminal of this type holds a barcode attached to a commodity purchased by a customer over a reading position of the scanner and inputs commodity information related to the commodity to the POS terminal.
In the past, there is known a technique for informing success or failure of reading of a barcode by sound or display such that a cashier can easily recognize whether the barcode is normally read by the scanner. As an example, there is known a hand scanner that, if reading of a barcode is abnormal, informs to that effect by emitting sound from a speaker and blinking an LED.
In recent years, in retail stores such as a supermarket and a convenience store, a checkout system of a self-checkout type is being spread. In this system, a self-checkout terminal that is a type of a POS terminal and with which a customer herself of himself can complete a series of checkout processing is used.
A customer who is about to perform checkout in the self-checkout terminal holds a barcode attached to a commodity over a reading window of a vertical scanner, which is provided on a housing surface or the like of the terminal, by herself or himself and inputs commodity information. When the customer finishes inputting commodity information for all commodities, the customer pays a price, which is calculated on the basis of the input commodity information, by cash, a card, electronic money, or the like to complete a series of checkout processing. On a display unit provided in the self-checkout terminal, in addition to the registered commodity information, guidance or the like of an operation method for customers unaccustomed to operation is displayed.
If such a checkout system of the self-checkout type is installed, since it is unnecessary to post a store clerk at each register, it is possible to substantially reduce personnel expenses.
When a customer performs checkout in the POS terminal of the self-checkout type, the customer has to hold a barcode attached to a commodity over the reading window of the scanner by herself or himself. However, in general, the customer is unaccustomed to this holding action. In some case, the customer does not know which direction with respect to the reading window the customer should hold the barcode at what position. It is also likely that light from a light source included in the scanner is blocked by a hand of the operator herself or himself during the reading action and the barcode is not sufficiently illuminated.
If, every time the customer holds a barcode over the reading window, the customer glances at input commodity information displayed on the display unit to determine success or failure of reading of the barcode, it takes long until the customer finishes inputting commodity information for all commodities.
Depending on a position where the self-checkout terminal is set, it is likely that external illumination such as in-store illumination is blocked by the terminal itself or another obstacle or the like and a sufficient amount of light necessary for reading a barcode with the scanner cannot be secured.
In this way, there are various problems concerning input of commodity information performed by using the self-checkout terminal.